Srinagar, Aug 03: Aspirants preparing for the Jammu and Kashmir Combined Competitive Examination, conducted for recruitment to the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service and allied services, have renewed their demand for the permanent restoration of the upper age limit for Open Merit candidates to 37 years.
In a representation issued on Monday, the JKCCE (JKAS) Aspirants Community urged the J&K Government to revise the existing upper age limit of 32 years, calling it an administrative anomaly that places aspirants from the Union Territory at a disadvantage compared with candidates in several other states.
The aspirants said J&K continues to face high unemployment and argued that increasing the age limit would provide deserving candidates with a fair chance to compete for government jobs. They also sought the removal of restrictions on the number of attempts, stating that it would bring the recruitment framework in line with many other states.
The community pointed to irregular recruitment cycles, particularly the absence of examinations in 2019 and 2020, claiming that many eligible candidates lost opportunities through no fault of their own. They also noted that the upper age limit was reduced from 37 years to 32 years in 2018, while subsequent one time relaxations reflected the need for a permanent policy change.
Appealing to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the J&K Administration, the aspirants urged the government to permanently restore the Open Merit upper age limit to at least 37 years, with corresponding relaxation for reserved categories. They said such a decision would ensure fairness, provide certainty to thousands of aspirants, and align J&K’s recruitment policy with broader national practices.
